TNAG-2459-FCO40-3580-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-administrati-1992 — Page 144

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to the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions will not take effect for a few weeks, since there seems to be provision in the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions for the Governor not to preside at Legco, the CPF not to attend Exco meetings and for Appointed Members of Exco to resign. However, it will not be possible for someone other than the Deputy President to preside over Legco until the amendments are made. I have not looked at the question of how the hiatus would affect Appointed Members of Legco, but I will look at this if it is confirmed that we are also envisaging the removal of Appointed Members of Legco as well as the removal of Appointed Members of Exco.

instead of

6.

I need to be completely certain of what is needed by way of amendments of the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions. When I was asked for advice, it was on the basis of Hong Kong Telno 2183 of 25 August. Various versions of the speech since have been copied to me; I need to have the most up-to-date version. Alternatively, can I take it that Hong Kong Telno 2354 of 18 September sets out all the decisions, and proposals and that there are no others? I would be grateful for early clarification of this since we do not have too much time to prepare the draft amendments. I suggest that we also need to clarify when it is intended that the decisions,as distinct to the proposals on the 1995 elections, are intended to come into effect. We need to warn the Governor that the provision on a new President cannot take immediate effect. If necessary, the speech will need to be slightly adjusted to refer to the decisions coming into operation when the necessary legislation is made. There is another important point which is that the Standing Orders of Legco will need to be amended. These are made by Legco. They do not appear up-to-date (at least in the version I have). There does not appear to be a provision on a Deputy President which, if this is really so, could cause problems with my proposed cause of action, ie the Deputy President presiding in the interim period. Standing Orders 3(1) and 35(2) will need amending, as well as Standing Order 60 to take account of the new Government Order Business Committee.

Shelagh Brooks.

(Noke)

Need to confider RL XXIV

and what puts frience Bills to legro.

Shelagh Brooks

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